Ghost Recon 2: Advanced Warfighter's (GRAW 2) title is a bit misleading. Not only is this the first Ghost Recon game to appear on the PSP, but the game itself shares very little in common with the PS3 and 360 versions of the similarly titled games. What it does have in common, however, is the opportunity to play with a bunch of neat toys and solid gameplay.

GRAW 2's overall presentation is solid. Levels are fairly detailed and, unlike the console games which featured variations of desert and dusty cities, show off a nice variety of locales. Likewise, enemies show enough variety that you'll see more than a group of cloned soldiers, though there are a few noticeably awkward animations, most of which involve transitions between positions and certain animations. One really cool aspect is that GRAW 2 can be played as either a 1st or 3rd person shooter. Gameplay doesn't change when using either of the two, though I found the 1st person view a little easier to play with.

Audio is typical of the franchise. Though understandably toned down when compared to the console games, there is still enough here to really sell you on the whole experience. In addition to weapons fire, explosions and various rallying cries from enemies, you'll also hear lots of voice chatter that helps to keep you constantly plugged into the world around you.

Ghost Recon 2: Advanced Warfighter for the PSP occupies the same span of time as the two console games. Throughout the campaigns of both games, it is suggested that the Mexican rebels were getting their weapons from a source in Central America. In the PSP version of GRAW 2, you get to go after the weapons suppliers. The game's main campaign is a short 5 - 7 hour affair that takes you through a variety of settings, including jungles and towns.

Although the entire Ghost team is sent in, their helicopter is shot down, which sets up the portable game's primary gameplay difference - it's just you on the ground without a squad. Though the lack of a squad does take away some of the game's tactical gameplay, it shouldn't put devotees of the series off too much since Scott has been on his own several times in the console versions. While you are on your own for the duration of the mission, you still have use of various recon drones, explosives, and artillery support, so you still have a number of options to help even the odds.

Enemy A.I. is surprisingly smart, yet mindlessly dumb all at the same time. While in a firefight, enemies will take defensive positions and generally try to give you a challenging fight. After a few fights, patterns become a little too obvious and it becomes easy to either "trick" it into pulling a dumb move or simply outsmart it. Nearby enemies tend to ignore fighting outside of their little bubble of awareness, so even if you're lobbing grenades and calling in bombs from unmanned drones, you won't have to worry about additional guns running into the battle.

Mission objectives should be familiar territory for long-time fans, though the lack of three additional troops means different tactics - though not in the way you would expect. Scott can take an inordinate amount of damage; while this doesn't mean that you can charge headlong into any situation, it strips away a few more tactical considerations. Still, there are a few mission goals that are a little too strict and frustrating enough that you'll want to step away from your PSP before accidently breaking it.

Ghost Recon 2: Advanced Warfighter's primary flaw isn't new when it comes to the PSP. Though High Voltage deserves credit for squeezing as much functionality from the console games into the PSP version, the controls are a bit cumbersome. As a result, some areas of the game are artificially difficult because you're trying to balance too many functions at once. This is especially frustrating during some of the game's more difficult sections - at which time is it is best to gently place the PSP down, avoid kicking the dog and just scream in a closet or in your backyard.

One of the more cumbersome control aspects involves aiming using the face buttons. The concept isn't entirely new, though it doesn't work as well in GRAW 2 as it does in other games. Again, it is completely playable - but aiming still has a mechanical feel that takes a while to adjust to.

Although GRAW 2 doesn't feel much like a Ghost Recon game, the shooter gameplay is solid enough to hold fans of the genre over, though don't expect it to occupy much of your time.